Girl Scouts of the USA officially turned 100 Monday, and to honor the milestone, several local troops are channeling their girl power to make a difference in the community. And they aren’t just peddling Do-si-dos.

The troops are dedicating this anniversary year to collecting 100 blankets or coats to donate to homeless shelters. Some are sending 100 books and handmade bookmarks to deployed military, or planting 100 seeds at an elementary school, or collecting 100 bags of nonperishables for food banks.

Rancho Santa Fe resident Nina de Burgh thinks her great-great-aunt would be pleased.

De Burgh’s ancestor was Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low, the Savannah, Ga., woman who was so inspired by what the fledgling scouting movement was doing for boys that she decided to launch an organization that focused on girls. She sold her pearls to finance her efforts, and started the first troop March 12, 1912, with 18 girls.

“I think she’d be thrilled and amazed,” de Burgh said of Low’s possible reaction to what the scouts of today are accomplishing. “She would think it wasn’t really her doing and she wouldn’t want to take all the credit, that it’s the people who made it all happen, but she’d be so happy to know she had made a difference.”

De Burgh, 44, never met Low, who died in 1927, but she was steeped in Girl Scout lore on annual family vacations to Savannah. She also loved hearing the countless stories her grandmother told about Low’s generosity, love of parties and her hearty laugh.

“My grandmother and she would go to silent movies and Juliette, who was quite deaf by this time, would see something in the middle of the movie that would make her laugh out loud,” de Burgh said. “It was quite embarrassing to my grandmother because nobody else was making any noise, but Juliette didn’t care.”

What she did care about was encouraging girls to get out of the house and spend time in the open air. She wanted young women to prepare for possible roles as professionals in the arts, sciences and business, and for active citizenship outside the home.

“She wanted to give girls a voice,” de Burgh said.

Low’s first scout troop included members not only from wealthy families, but from Savannah’s Female Orphan Asylum as well. In 1917, the organization broke more ground, establishing the first African American Girl Scout troops and troops for girls with disabilities.

“It an amazing anecdote that in 1950, Girl Scouts was at the leading edge of inclusiveness with respect to racial diversity,” said Jo Dee Jacob, chief executive officer of the local council, Girl Scouts San Diego. “Even 70 years ago, we were holding events to support civil rights and overcome prejudice.”

Also in 1917 was the first cookie drive, and, closer to home, the beginning of Girl Scouts San Diego. Troop 1, which met in Coronado, continues to this day.

Today in San Diego and Imperial Counties, there are 2,300 troops, 31,000 girl members and nearly 13,000 adults, said Mary Doyle, a spokeswoman for Girl Scouts San Diego. While not the largest council in the nation, it is one of the most progressive, with programs that are often used as models by other councils.

San Diego also has the distinction of being the creator of Operation Thin Mint, the program that began in 2002 shipping boxes of Girl Scout cookies to military troops overseas.

“We started Operation Thin Mint right after the horrors of 9/11,” said Jacob. “What we sensed was a huge desire to do something for the troops, and our girls wanted to do something significant.”

Significant indeed. In May, Girl Scouts San Diego will have a ceremony aboard the USS Midway Museum to ship its 2 millionth box of cookies to a service member overseas.

On Monday night, thousands of local scouts participated in eight sunset celebrations around the county. On Wednesday, Girl Scouts San Diego will display a collection of vintage uniforms on mannequins at Bloomingdale’s in Fashion Valley, followed by a fashion show of scouts modeling some of those uniforms from 3 to 5 p.m.

On May 19, thousands of scouts will walk across the Cabrillo Bridge in Balboa Park as part of a bridging ceremony that marks their advancement from one level of Girl Scouts to the next.

De Burgh said Low would be “tinkled pink” that Girl Scouts has stayed true to its roots and is still relevant.

“It is an incredible organization, a sisterhood, that has such momentum and pride and purpose,” said de Burgh. “What I’ve gleaned the most from the recent celebrations are these women who are so accomplished.

“They are real role models for the girls growing up. It’s a reminder for us all to stay on track.”

Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low of Savannah, Ga., was so inspired by what the fledgling scouting movement was doing for boys that she decided to launch an organization that focused on girls. She sold her pearls to finance her efforts, and started the first troop March 12, 1912, with 18 girls.